UK will see the benefits of its “beautiful” pavilion at Expo 2020, as it will help strengthen ties with the UAE, Minister of State for International Co-operation and director general of Expo 2020 Reem Al Hashimy has said.
She said the UAE was keen to ensure Expo 2020 Dubai, which opens on October 1, acts as a catalyst for closer relations between the two countries.
In an interview with Sky News, Ms Al Hashimy praised the work of Es Devlin, who designed the UK pavilion, and UK commissioner general Laura Faulkner.
Organisers say the UK pavilion took its inspiration from one of the final projects of renowned English theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking.
It’s an incredible pavilion. It’s a really beautiful one inspired by Stephen Hawking. It really uses poetry with AI and it accelerates all notions of innovation,” Ms Al Hashimy said.
She hailed the “robust economic and trade relationship” between the two countries.
“There are about 30,000 companies registered in our expo portal, half of which are from the SME sector,” Ms Al Hashimy said.
She said the green economy was of particular focus for the UAE, which has witnessed a sharp rise in the agtech and biotech sectors.
“There’s a lot going and a lot out there.”
She also stressed that Expo 2020 has the potential to deepen relations with all countries attending.
“We have 192 countries that will be present, so every country’s decision to come to be present at Expo 2020 is also a testament from them that they believe in a stronger and deeper engagement with the UAE, but also stronger and deeper engagement with other countries that are going to be there as well.
“Literally the whole world is going to be in one place for six months. It’s exciting, especially in the wake of an 18-month pandemic that in parts of the world is still raging on,” Ms Al Hashimy said.
More information on expo can be found on the Dubai expo 2020 website
Originally published by The National News: Business 17/09/2021
